President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commenced a major overhaul of Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory leadership, sacking Engineer Farouk Ahmed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and accepting the resignation of Mr. Gbenga Komolafe from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The President has consequently forwarded fresh nominees to the Senate for confirmation, signaling a decisive push to reset the oil and gas regulatory framework under his administration.

In his letters to the Senate, Tinubu nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan to head the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed to take charge of the NMDPRA.

A Press Release by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onauga said, Farouk Ahmed’s removal followed a strategic review of the downstream sector amid rising concerns over regulatory inefficiencies, fuel market instability, and the slow pace of reforms required under the Petroleum Industry Act.

“The President wants regulators who can deliver faster, clearer, and more investor-friendly outcomes,” a senior government official said, noting that the shake-up aligns with Tinubu’s broader economic reform agenda.

Both outgoing officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, when the PIA created the two powerful regulatory bodies.

The incoming nominees are seasoned oil and gas professionals with decades of experience in upstream, gas, and policy development, a move analysts say underscores Tinubu’s intent to tighten governance, accelerate gas development, and stabilise the downstream market.

The Senate is expected to treat the nominations from the President with urgency in the coming week.